[Answered] Critically analyze why India’s development model, despite economic growth, has failed to adequately address complex, chronic health issues impacting adult women, leading to a “half-won battle.”

Introduction

India’s development narrative reflects significant strides in poverty reduction and child health. Yet, persistent neglect of adult women’s chronic and reproductive health marks a troubling shortfall—a truly half-won battle.

India’s Growth Story: Progress with Blind Spots

1. Over the past two decades, India has witnessed transformative gains: reduction in child mortality, improved nutrition, increased institutional deliveries, and enhanced WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) access.
2. NFHS-5 (2019–21) reveals a 10% reduction in stunting since 2015-16. As incomes rise, malnutrition and adolescent health indicators improve significantly. However, this trajectory flattens when it comes to adult women’s chronic and reproductive health.
3. The gains in maternal and child health, largely driven by Janani Suraksha Yojana, POSHAN Abhiyan, and WASH-focused schemes like Swachh Bharat, have not extended into women’s midlife and geriatric health.
4. This exposes a fundamental limitation in India’s development model—it is reactive, infrastructure-driven, and stops short of ensuring life-course care.

Symptoms of a Systemic Blind Spot

1. Chronic Reproductive Health Neglect: As highlighted in the article, health issues such as hysterectomies, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), uterine fibroids, and difficult menopausal transitions show no direct improvement with rising State incomes. Many rural women undergo unnecessary hysterectomies due to the absence of non-surgical options, awareness, or early intervention—raising concerns of medical exploitation and structural failure. A 2018 study by the National Health Systems Resource Centre found inappropriate hysterectomy rates in states like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, often among underprivileged women.
2. Transactional vs. Relational Healthcare: The Indian health system remains oriented around one-time health interventions—immunisation, childbirth, sterilisation—but fails at continuous care, especially for women post-childbirth. Mid-life issues such as osteoporosis, anaemia, cervical cancer, hypertension, or mental health disorders receive limited focus. As per IHME 2019 data, non-communicable diseases account for 62% of all deaths among women, yet primary care rarely addresses chronic disease management tailored to female physiology.
3. Overreliance on Product-Based Progress: Wealth has increased access to modern sanitary products, nutrition supplements, and private healthcare. Yet, these do not substitute for a robust public health system or quality counselling. Without sustained engagement, even rising per capita income fails to yield well-being for adult women. The health system focuses on what can be bought, not what must be built—such as trust, continuity, and culturally sensitive care.

Bridging the Generational Gap: A Way Forward

1. Life-Cycle Approach to Women’s Health: Policy must evolve from maternal-centric to women-centric, integrating care across adolescence, fertility, menopause, and beyond. Metrics must go beyond child mortality to include cervical cancer screening rates, chronic anaemia, and menopause care.
2. Strengthening Human Infrastructure: Empowering ASHA and Anganwadi workers with training in chronic care, counselling, and women’s health beyond maternity can ensure continuum of care. These frontline workers are vital to transitioning from product-based to relationship-based care.
3. Equity in Preventive and Geriatric Healthcare: Schemes like Ayushman Bharat must be recalibrated to prioritise preventive screening for NCDs and reproductive disorders in adult women. Menopause clinics, cancer screening camps, and gynaecological check-ups should become routine at Health and Wellness Centres.
4. Gender-Sensitive Data and Policy: NFHS, NSSO, and HMIS must collect age-segmented, gender-specific data on chronic morbidity and service utilisation. Gender budgeting should allocate dedicated funds to address mid-life women’s health.

Conclusion

India’s growth story is incomplete without the health and dignity of adult women. Bridging this gap requires reimagining care—beyond childbirth, toward holistic, lifelong well-being rooted in rights and equity.